


Ticking Clocks

by dannihowell (iguessicantry)



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Coming Out, Domestic, M/M, Middle Age, Post-Divorce
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-31
Updated: 2016-07-31
Packaged: 2018-07-28 08:24:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7632439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iguessicantry/pseuds/dannihowell
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dan and Phil meet in their late fifties and fall in love. Now, it’s time to tell their respective families, children and grandchildren included. Not everyone is understanding.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ticking Clocks

The room was silent except for the cooing of the youngest person present, Baby Kai. Their children sat and stood with mouths wide open, looks of shock or disgust. Neither Dan nor Phil was sure. The two men held on to other’s hand steadfastly. They had been together for almost two years. In their late fifties, and divorced (twice for Dan), decided to make it official. Their families deserved to see them happy. In these later years, it only made sense to spend it with the one you love most.

They had met at a conference for Google. Dan worked for the legal side while Phil was a major player in YouTube’s development. A quick drink at the hotel’s bar turned into hours of conversation and an eventually exchange of numbers. Two years later, here they were telling their families, for the first time, that they were interested in men.

“I like him,” Isabella, Phil’s five year old granddaughter spoke up. “He’s nice.”

Phil grinned a relieved smile. “I like him too.”

“Wait, you’re serious?” Reece, Dan’s only son, asked. “I thought you were taking the piss.”

“No, I’m serious. Phil and I have been together for two years this May.”

Alex, Dan’s youngest daughter out of four, shook her head, tears brimming in her eyes. “Mum still loves you. Why are you doing this?”

“Your mother and I are divorced, Alex…” He knew it would be hardest on the seventeen year old. She had suffered the most through this latest divorce. Out of the five children Dan had, Alex was the most sensitive and believed everything would sort itself out and her parents would get back together. Dan never had the heart to tell her otherwise.

“But… She… You love her. You were married to her!”  
Dan releases Phil’s hand and motioned for her daughter to join him in the next room of his large home. Meanwhile, an awkward Phil was left all alone in front of a crowd of very confused family members, ready to tear him apart.

—–

Alexandria Howell, 17

“Daddy, you don’t even like men. What are you doing?”

Dan sighed. “I like Phil, a lot actually.”

“What about Mum?”

“Jaqueline and I are over, sweet,” Dan said in his nicest tone. “We fell out of love. I should know. It was the second time it happened.”

“She told me she misses you.”

“She misses the idea of me. She misses being someone wife, like how I miss being a husband. She wants and deserves so much more than me.”

Alex sniffled as Dan took her into a hug.

“You were so happy though.”

“Not those last few years. You know that. I was hardly ever home. I think I’m most upset about that actually. As much as I no longer loved your mother, I should have spent more time with you regardless. I apologize for that.”

“I can’t forgive you right now.”

“I understand that. I hope you do someday.”

“Do you love him, Daddy?”

“I do– have done for a long time.”

“You won’t get jealous if mum starts dating that bloke at her yoga class?”

Dan smirked. “I knew it. She loved that class way too much.”

“You aren’t mad?”

“No. You’re mum should get a bit of happiness in this life… even if it is through exercise.”

She ignored his joke. “So, you really aren’t getting back together?”

“No, sweet. Sorry.”

She nodded in acceptance.

—–

Hope Lester-Graham, 31 and Faith Lester-Hall, 31

“Dad, I know the divorce was hard on you but I didn’t expect you to turn to men.” Kai, her nine-month-old son played with her hair. Isabella looked at her mother appraisingly.

“Hope, we just clicked really well. I haven’t felt this way since I met your mother all those years ago.”

“Are you in love?”

Faith, Hope’s fraternal twin sister, stood up then and gave her father a bear hug. “I’m happy you’re happy.” Faith’s wife, Tara, also gave Phil her congratulations.

“Of course _you_ think this is okay,” Hope chided at her sister.

“Don’t start, Hope. This has nothing to do with my sexuality. This is about our father being happy. You would do well to teach the same ideals to your own children before they grow up thinking the way you do. Luckily, Bella’s already shown more maturity.”

“Girls…” Phil warned. He was duly ignored as his two oldest gotten into it… again. Hope and Faith never really got along throughout their childhood. Both Phil and his ex-wife Holly tried their hardest to understand why they held so much animosity towards one another. When Faith finally came out at age 18, Hope was done with her sister. She had accused her of trying to steal attention, like she had been doing their entire life.

“At least I can have children of my own,” Hope retorted.

“What does that have to do with anything? Faith scoffed. "By the way, Tara and I were going to wait until after dinner to announce this but she’s two months along.”

Hoped sneered. “You are always trying to beat me.”

“What? What are you talking about?”

“I have a baby so now you have to have a baby.”

Phil took a long labored breath. “Dan and I are getting married!” he shouted.

—–

Thomas Lester, 25

The clock’s ticking somehow sounded louder than ever before.

“Can I be your best man?”

Phil blinked. His only son had always been a lot like him. He was down to earth, quiet, and intelligent in Phil’s honest opinion. “Of course. I was going to ask you later.”

“Great,” Thomas nodded and settled back into the settee to watch his sisters’ verbal sparring match. He hoped Faith would win. Hope’s husband had long since used the excuse of finding a bathroom in this mansion of a house. Phil was well off but he and his wife had lived modest lives. They never even thought to buy or build a home this large, Thomas thought. He hoped Dan would make his father live a little.

—–

Reece Howell, 35

“So when’s the divorce?”

The adults in the room glanced at him but said nothing. Phil didn’t know what to say to that kind of statement.

“You’re planning to marry my dad. You should start planning the divorce too. He’s a lawyer so be careful with any prenups.”

“Reece, I know you don’t have much faith in him–,”

“You’re right, I don’t. Especially with you. I don’t know you but you seem like a huge pushover. Dad can and will break your heart. I’ve watched it happen more than once. He only married twice but he’s dated like no one’s business all through my life. I’m the oldest so believe me when I say, you’re setting yourself up if you marry him.” With that, Reece picked up his car keys, pulled on his coat and left.

—–

Camille Matthews-Howell, 29

“Excuse our brother… He’s a twat.”

“It’s okay,” Phil replied.

Dan and Alex returned asking where Reece went.

Camille dutifully recalled the tale. “He threw a tantrum, called you a man-whore and left.”

“Camille,” Chelsea, her sister chastised. “Not in those exact words.”

“He told Phil that marrying you will be a huge mistake,” Camille clarified.

“It’s my mistake to make though,” Phil butted in. He knew Dan would instantly jump to the conclusion that Phil would no longer want him. Between his romantic history and the ice cold reception of Dan’s children, it would be no surprise if Phil decided to leave right then.

“They know about the wedding?” Dan asked. Phil nodded. “I’m also expecting another grandchild.”

Tara spoke up then. “Two grandchildren actually. We’re hoping for an extra grandparent to help with the twins. We’d be glad to have you, Dan.”

Dan smiled. “I’d love to.”

—–

Isabella Graham, 5

“Will you be my grandpa too?”

“If you’d like that,” Dan smiled at the sweet little girl. She had short blonde curls and her grandfather’s blue eyes.

Hope cleared her throat. “I don’t think that would be appropriate.”

“Why not?” Dan asked.

“From what I just heard from your son, you won’t be around for long. I don’t want Isabella and Kai to get attached to you.”

“Come off it, Hope!” Faith shouted at her sister. “You think you’re so bloody perfect. We all know why Nate’s not here right now. Your marriage isn’t exactly perfect, is it? He can’t even support you. He’s wandering through this monster of a house just to get away from you!”

Hope’s face had fallen, the blood drained away in a millisecond.

“You’re so busy meddling in everyone else’s life, that you hadn’t even noticed your own falling apart.”

“How did you—how could you even know about that?” Hope demanded.

“He told me. He couldn’t figure out his own wife so he asked her twin sister.”

At this moment, Thomas took it upon himself to take Isabella into the kitchen for ice cream. Camille showed them the way.

“Mummy’s going to cry again.” Isabella remarked, fiddling with her curls.

“Again?” Thomas asked, placing her on the kitchen counter.

The five-year-old nodded. “Again.”

“She’ll feel better soon.” Thomas made eye contact with Camille.

She gave him a friendly smile. “Since we’re going to be siblings soon, I feel safe in saying that your sister is…” she mouthed “a bitch.”

Thomas grinned. “I think you mean 'our sister'.”

—–

Christina Howell, 25 and Chelsea Howell, 26

“I thought we fought a lot.” Christina whispered to her sister. Chelsea nodded wholeheartedly. Born only ten months apart, they were practically twins. Unlike Faith and Hope’s, their fights were always over in a matter of minutes. They also looked nearly identical. These two were the best of friends. After having parents like theirs, it suited them to stick together no matter what. Reece, Christina, and Chelsea were all from Dan’s first marriage. Camille was the result of a short-lived affair with a colleague name Anna Matthews. She had been a secret until suddenly… she wasn’t anymore. Alex came last in the second marriage. She was only a few years younger than Christina but the divorce had led to the oldest children being raised entirely in their respective mother’s home. They hardly knew Alex.

Their youngest sibling joined them on the sofa and asked for a recap.

Christina said,“The one with the baby doesn’t want our dad near her kids so her sister told her off and let it out that her marriage is falling apart. Apparently, the husband's been complaining to the one person she can't stand.”

Alex’s eyebrows shot into her forehead. “Wish we had popcorn.”

Chelsea rolled her eyes. “You really are our sister.”

—-

Dan Howell, 57

Deciding she was done dealing with her sister, Faith gave Dan a firm handshake. “Please take care of him. I can tell you love him but please.”

Dan kissed his almost-stepdaughter on the cheek, sealing his promises. Tara followed her wife’s actions and said goodbye to everyone. “It was a lovely visit,” she lied easily. With that, they left.

“I think we should talk,” Dan whispered to Phil once the door slammed shut. Four sets of eyes followed them as they went upstairs.

Phil didn’t allow Dan to start speaking before he connected them in a soul-crushing kiss. He took Dan by surprise, knowing it would calm him down.

“We knew they wouldn’t like it,” Phil finally said once he released Dan. “We knew your kids would think this was just another notch on your bedpost. My kids would turn it into something about them. We knew this would happen.”

“I promise I won’t hurt you.” Dan whispered.

—–

Phil Lester, 59

“I want to spend the rest of my life with you,” Dan vowed. “And only you. Don’t want to waste any more time not being with you.”

Phil kissed him again with a cheeky grin. “The clock’s ticking.”

**Author's Note:**

> follow me on tumblr  
> [dannihowell](https://danni-howell.tumblr.com/)


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